It's easy! Get prepared for an emergency

By taking some simple steps, you can make sure you, your family, and your workplace are prepared for an emergency.

Check out getprepared.nz for useful information on how to be ready for an emergency.

Preparing your household

Arrange and agree on a meeting point for your family in case you can’t get home or are unable to contact each other.

Plan for children and vulnerable family members and ensure your emergency contact details are up to date with schools or rest homes.

We recommend you store 20 litres of water per person, per day. If you have a family of four that is 560 litres for seven days. Change your water every 12 months, ideally when you put your clocks forward or back, and treat stored water before using by bringing it to the boil.

Store enough food to last at least seven days. Ensure you check any emergency food supplies and replace supplies regularly. Store food for babies and toddlers, food for pets, a torch and battery radio, hand sanitiser and toilet paper.

Have a grab-bag packed and ready to go. Kits should contain comfortable shoes, water and snacks, essential medications or copies of any prescriptions, a lightweight raincoat, any essential documentation, a torch, gloves, a radio and a small first aid kit.

Check whether your home, work or school is in a tsunami evacuation zone. Remember if an earthquake is long or strong – get gone. Don’t wait for an official warning. Move past a Blue Line. If possible, evacuate by foot, or cycle. Stay past the Blue Lines until the official “all clear” is given. Learn more about Blue Lines.

Preparing your business

Your business needs a plan to get through an emergency. Think about how you'll keep running if there's a disaster. If you provide an essential service to your community, how will you make sure people still get the help they need?